This month is Black History Month. In the Mid-Atlantic Region, there are 11 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) including one of the first HBCU’s in the United States, the University of District of Columbia in Washington DC. These institutions were established before 1964 to provide black Americans an opportunity to receive a college education.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, HBCUs are defined as, “Any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.”  

Out of the 11 HBCUs in the Mid-Atlantic region, nine institutions have a men’s and/or women’s tennis program. If you are looking for an HBCU with a college tennis program, take a look at this list.

Maryland

• Bowie State University
  • Located: Bowie, Md.
  • Tennis Program: Women’s Tennis
  • Division: NCAA DII
  • Conference: CIAA
  • Head Coach: Todd Byrom

• Coppin State University
  • Location: Baltimore, Md.
  • Tennis Program: Men’s and Women’s Tennis
  • Division: NCAA DI
  • Conference: Northeast Conference, MEAC
  • Head Coach: Eboyne Jones
    
• Morgan State University
  • Location: Baltimore, Md.
  • Tennis Program: Men’s and Women’s
  • Division: NCAA DI
  • Conference: MEAC
  • Head Coach: Matthew Townes

Washington D.C.

• Howard University 
  • Location: Washington D.C.
  • Tennis Program: Men’s and Women’s
  • Division: NCAA DI
  • Conference: MEAC, NEC
  • Head Coach: Nicholas Askew
  • Howard University Club Tennis:
    • President: Caprice King and Walter Servance
    • Adviser:  Nicholas Askew
      
• University of District of Columbia
  • Location: Washington D.C.
  • Tennis Program: Men’s and Women’s 
  • Division: NCAA DII
  • Conference: East Coast Conference
  • Head Coach: T. Richard “Dickie” Mahaffey, III

Virginia

• Hampton University
  • Location: Hampton, Va.
  • Tennis Program: Men’s and Women’s
  • Division NCAA DI
  • Conference: CAA
  • Head Coach: Ana Popovic
    
• Norfolk State University
  • Location: Norfolk, Va.
  • Tennis Program: Men’s and Women’s 
  • Division: NCAA DI
  • Conference: MEAC
  • Head Coach: Peter Banas
  • Club Tennis:
    • Contact spartanhappenings@nsu.edu for more information. 

• Virginia State University
  • Location: Petersburg, Va.
  • Tennis Program: Men’s and Women’s 
  • Division: NCAA DII
  • Conference: CIAA
  • Head Coach: Chavez Mabry

• Virginia Union University 
  • Location: Richmond, Va.
  • Tennis Program: Women’s 
  • Division: NCAA DII
  • Conference: CIAA
  • Head Coach: Gerri “GiGi” Carter Thurston

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